The tragic Halloween crowd crush in Seoul has haunted South Korea all week, and the fallout from the government’s response to the disaster increasingly looks like it could damage the country’s international reputation.

Out of the 156 people who died in Saturday’s crowd surge, 26 were foreigners, and the struggle of several of their family members to pay to have the victims’ bodies shipped home has grown into a controversial issue. Many have criticized the government for not providing sufficient assistance, compelling Seoul’s foreign ministry not only to promise to provide 35 million won (~US$24,700) to each family of a foreign victim, but also significantly simplify paperwork.